Woodworking machine



Ju'1y2s, 1936. J E BOICE 2,049,045

wooDwoRKIN MACHINE Filed Sept. 29,v 1934 y Cttorneg Patented `Iuly 28, 1936 UNITED STATES WOODWORKING MACHINE John E. Boice, Toledo, Ohio Application September 29, 1934, Serial No. 746,093

s claims. (01.144-253) This invention relates to the fence structure of woodworking machines,and is particularly adaptable to jointers wherein the work guiding fence is Vmounted for tilting movement around a longitudinal axis, and for translational movement transversely to said axis. Its purpose isto provide a simple and effective means for giving support to the free end of the fence, rto brace said end against springing laterally under the pres- ,lov sure of work pressed against it during operation thereon. It has been the practice in the past, particularly in small jointers, to employ a single connection between one end of the fence andthe bed of the machine, serving to lock thefence in 15v any of the positions to which it may be adjusted as above specified, the rigidity of the fence being relied upon to keep the free end in proper alignment. In actual practice, however, there is always a small amount of give in the fence. 20 The invention aims to provide an auxiliary connection or free end support which will not interl fere with the normal operation of the main adjusting connection. To this end, the auxiliary connection comprises simply a rigid link having a `pivotal connection with both fence and bed and two slidable connections, with either the fence or bed or both, so as to allow relative translational movement between the fence and bed in any direction, together with clamping means operable, when tightened, to clamp the link in rigid association with either the fence or the bed. The clamp is operable to lock one of the pivotal connections and one of the slidable connections (that which allows relative translation transversely of the longitudinal axis of the fence) but does not affect the slidable connection which allows rela,- tive longitudinal translation, it being unnecessary to lock the latter connection, in View of the fact that the link functions only to rigidify the fence 40 against lateral and/or vertical springing.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are at- 45 tained, as described in the accompanying specications, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a jointer embody- 50 ing the invention,

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the connection between the link and fence,

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified form of `55 said connection, 1

Fig. 5 is a view of a mo'died form of the connection, and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of another modification thereof.` 'Y

The jointer illustrated in Figs. 1 and2 is, with 5 the exception of the auxiliary connection embodying the present invention, the same as the jointer described and illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 698,278, filed November 16, 1933. On the base IIJ are slidably mounted the two bed 10 sections II and I2, each adjustable for height by means of a hand wheel I3. Since the line of adjustment of the bed sections is inclined, as at I4, there will be a resultant longitudinal movement accompanying any vertical adjustment. The auxiliary connection embodied in the present invention allows for such Vertical and longitudinal movement of either bed, the position of the fence relative to the rear bed being altered in response to adjustment of either bed section.

The fence I5 is sector shaped in cross-section and is mounted at its forward end on a sector I6 which extends below the level of the bed II into sliding engagement with the outer edges of the track I'I. Clamping means I8, I8a slidably 25 mounted. in the track'I'l, supports the fence for tiltinga'round the axis of the lower edge I9 of the fence, and for translational movement laterally across the bed II, I2, and is adapted to lock the sector I6 against the track I'I in any of its posi- 30 tions of adjustment, as more fully illustrated in the copending application above referred to.

The present invention provides a rigid link pivoted to the free end of the fence I5 by means of the stud ZI, fixed in the end of the fence and slidably projecting through the sleeve 22 on the end of the link 2Q.

' The otherend of the link '2U has a slot 23 which receives the handscrew -213 which may be threaded into the threaded opening in the boss 40 25, locatedat the corner of the bed section I2,

or in the boss Ztlocated near the center of the end of said section. The handscrew 25 serves to tighten the link 2i) against the boss 25 or 26 so as to lock it against either pivoting or sliding relative to the bed section I2.

The stud 2I is engaged bya hardened ring insert 21 in the sleeve-22, the engaging surfaces being highly polished so that the stud 2I may slide, twist orrotate in the ringwhen the link 20 50 is loose, without binding.

Inthe operation of the device, the handscrew 24 is given a slight turn to loosen its grip against the link 20, preparatoryV to adjusting the fence. The latter. may. then beswung about its pivotal axis, the link 20 following. The slot 23 allows the stud 2| to move away from or toward the handscrew 24 in response to such pivotal movement of the fence, or in response to translation of the fence transversely of its pivotal axis. If it is desired to adjust the position of the bed II or the bed I2, the link will be carried with the bed I2 as the latter moves longitudinally, or will allow the stud 2l to slide as the fence moves longitudinally with the bed II, while simultaneously pivoting-to compensate for the attendant vertical movement of the bed.

When the fence adjustment has been completed, a turn of the handscrew in the opposite direction Will tighten the link 20 in a clamped embrace between the handscrew and boss 25 or 26 as the case may be, rigidifying the link relative to the bed I2 and holding the sleeve 22 in a rigidly fixed position relative to the bed. As a Y result, the stud 2l, although it is still loosely extended through the ring 21, is held against any lateral or vertical springing.

The relative positions of stud 2I and handscrew 24 may be reversed as shown in Fig. 5, wherein the stud 2| is aiixed in the bed I2 and the handscrew 24 is threaded into the boss 25 on the end of the fence.

In this case the link 20 becomes a rigid link with respect to the fence, and is anchored against movement in any direction transverse to the axis of the fence, by the stud 2|.

It will be understood that in either case the link not only anchors the fence against lateral Vspringing in a horizontal direction, but prevents the fence from springing upwardly as well. The latter feature is of importance where the fence is tilted over to a position where its guiding surface makes an acute angle relative to the face of the bed, or in the event that spring hold-downs are used in connection with the fence, as is sometimes the practice.

A third form of the invention is shown in Fig. 6, in which the slot 23, instead of being at the end of the link which is engaged by the clamping screw 24, is located in the end of the link which receives the stud 2I, whereby the longitudinally slidable connection and the laterally slidable connection are both located at the same end of the link. The other forms of the invention have the advantage over this one in that the latter will hold the fence against springing only in a direction transverse to the slot 23.

Instead of the hardened ring 21, a ball bearing 28, either caged or loose, may be'employed. This form of construction is in fact a preferential one, because of the absolute prevention of binding which it achieves.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a woodworking machine including a bed, a work guiding fence and means at one end of said fence to clamp said fence to the bed in any of a series of positions adjusted transversely of the longitudinal axis of the fence, an auxiliary supportfor the free end of the fence comprising a rigid link having at one end a pivotal and longitudinally slidable connection with the free end of the fence, and having at its other end a pivotal and laterally slidable connection with the adjacent end of the bed, and means to rigidify the latter connection so as to constitute said link a brace preventing springing of the fence relative to the bed, transversely of its axis. Y

2. In combinationwith a woodworking machine including a bed, a Work guiding fence and means at one end of the fence to clamp the same to the bed in any of a series of positions adjusted laterally of the bed, an auxiliary support for the free end of the fence comprising a rigid link having at one end a pivotal and longitudinally slidable connection with the bed and at its other end a pivotal and laterally slidable connection with the free end of the fence, and means to rigidify the latter connection so as to constitute said link a brace preventing lateral and/or vertical springing of the fence relative to the bed.

3. In combination with a Woodworking machine including a bed, a fence and means at one end of the fenceY connecting said end to the bed in any of a series of adjusted positions, an auxiliary support for the free end of the fence comprising a rigid link having at one end an opening provided within its periphery with an annular bearing vmemberL providing a narrow circular line of bearing surface, a hardened polished stud afxed in the free end ofthe fence and slidably projecting through said bearing member, the link having at its opposite end an elongated slot, and means extending throughsaid slot and cooperating withthe adjacent end of the bed to clamp said link in any of a series of adjusted positions, in rigidied relation to the bed.

4. A Woodworking machine as claimed in claim 3, in which the bearing member is an integral ring of hardened polished metal.

5. A woodworking machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bearing member is comprised in a series of hardened steel balls caged between the said opening and the stud.

6. In combination with a woodworking machine including a bed, a work Vguiding fence and means at one end of said fence to clamp it to the bed in any of a series of vpositions adjusted transversely of the longitudinal'axis of the fence, an auxiliary support for the'free end of the fence comprising a rigid link having near its respective'ends pivotal connections with the free end of the fence and with the bed respectively, one

of said connections being pivotal and longitudinally slidable and the other of said connections being pivotal and laterally slidable, and means to rigidify one '01" said connections so as to constitute said link a brace preventing springing of `theience relative to the bed transversely of its axis.

7. In combination with a woodworking machine including a bed, a work guiding fence and means vat one end lof said fence to clamp it to the bed in any of a series of positions adjusted transversely of the longitudinal axis of the fence, an auxiliary support for the free end of the fence comprising a pin projecting from said end, parallel to the lonf Ygitudinal axis of the fence, a rigid link one end of which has a bearing slidably and rotatably receivingsaid pin and the other end region lof `which is formed with a longitudinal slot, and a clamping screw extending through said slot and tions of the fence and bed respectively, one of a. slot formed in the other end of the link and said connections comprising a pin mounted in extending longitudinally thereof and a clamping and projecting in a direction parallel to the 1onscrew extended through said slot and serving to gitudinal axis of the fence, from one of said clamp the link rigidly against said other end portions, a bearing formed in one end of said portion.

link and slidably and rotatably receiving said JOHN E. BOICE. pin, and the other of said connections comprising 

